Is your cheese full of hormones?

Driving to the grocery store this past weekend, my husband and I were talking about organic milk. Our goal is to buy only organic dairy and produce, but we aren’t there yet. We’ve switched to organic milk, and most of our produce is organic.

(This is the brand we buy-Costco!)

So, he asks, what do they do with all that milk from cows treated with rBST/rBGH?

Most of you are aware of the serious havoc those hormones can wreak, especially in your still growing children. If not, here’s a little refresher:

rBST increases the risk of cancer by elevating levels of another hormone, IGF-1. High levels of IGF-1 can promote breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.

If you have even just subtle amounts of IGF-1, there’s a link to breast, prostate and colon cancer…the endocrine system is so sensitive that subtle effects can make a difference.

Cows treated with rBST/rBGH have higher rates of udder infections-when they are treated with antibiotics, resistant bacteria can grow. People who later eat dairy products from these cows can also build up resistance.

People who consume these dairy products could become resistant to antibiotics.

So, our coversation got me thinking. What about all the cheese we eat??

I decided to call all the companies that we have regularly bought cheese from, and ask!

Here’s what I found out:

KRAFT Cheese
When I called and asked about their cheese, I was put on hold for 20 minutes. I got the feeling they hoped I would just hang up! They finally got back on the line and gave me a long spiel about how rBST/rBGH is safe according to the FDA, etc.

Final Result: ALL KRAFT Cheese, unless noted in their “organics brand” are made with milk from cows treated with rBST/rBGH.

Great Value brand Cheese (Wal-Mart)
This was probably my best customer service phone call. Totally shocking! Wal-Mart buys cheese from different suppliers, and those suppliers vary by region of the country. My findings are pertinent ONLY to North Texas. Want to know what’s in your GV Cheese? Call this number: 1-877-505-2267.

Sargento Cheese
This experience was interesting. According to their customer service, they buy all their cheese from different suppliers, and just put their name on it. Direct quote: “We are not 100% sure if they use [rBST/rBGH] it or not. It is up to the farmers we buy it from”. So, they actually have little quality control over their own product. They didn’t seem to care too much either. Very disappointing, considering I’ve always thought of their brand as “better” somehow.

Final Result: More than likely all Sargento cheese is made with milk from rBST/rBGH treated cows.

It’s funny because I have been doing the same thing with my family – I only purchase organic milk, organic yogurt, organic produce and lunch meat without preservatives and nitrates…but one day had an epiphany…uhm, holy crap! we eat A LOT of cheese and don’t buy organic… Glad to see that you took the initiative and did that research 🙂 and i’m SUPER happy that kroger cheese is hormone free!

There are hundreds of healthy dairy free cheese recipes on line. I love zuccini cheese, nut cheeses are great too, but higher in calories and I’m trying to limit my calorie intake. Most of these cheeses are flavored with nutritional yeast which is very healthy and combined with lemon juice and some Himalayan sea salt give the cheese it’s cheesie flavor. The zuccini cheese is great because it is made with gelatin — I always use the all beef gelatin because I choose to remain pork free – the gelatin based cheeses melts like real cheese but at a lower temperature, so it can be used to make toasted cheese sandwiches. Try the nutritional yeast sprinkled over non GMO popcorn, yum, tastes like cheese corn.

If you are worried about hormones I would recommend staying away from dairy all together. The natural levels of female hormones are extremely high and are thought to be linked to hormone sensitive cancers like breast breast cancer.

Thank you a ton. I have 4 d. My husband & I were just discussing hormones and the impending arrival x4. Just switched to raw milk and begain to ponder the lg qty of cheese they eat. Can not afford organic. Ya! Kroger. I’m going to call and tell them keep it up.

I have recently stopped eating anything that is treated poorly. If you start researching how dairy cows are treated, you would never eat again. It’s quite disturbing. I bought Sargento recently and I won’t anymore. Very interesting findings. Thanks for the info.

Also, Kirkland is NOT organic, the label is sooo false. Go to Cornucopia.org also, American milk is banned in ALL other countries because it’s cancer causing RBHG. There is no real management for knowing what farmers put in their cows… These companies are NOT required to submit blood testing to tell if they are or not. Most all are. We are angus farmers yet know a lot of dairy farmers and I’ve been asking them. This hormone lets them get 3 times the amount of milk a normal cow would so they all use it unless they are a small farmer that cannot afford the drug. Until there is required proof going on with dairy farmers then assume it’s there. Cheeses as well.

Also, meat… Buy from a farmer. You can see their operation and know your meat is not bleached, died or rotten. Seriously, it’s even cheaper! Certified Angus is a trademark and could mean as little as the words Blue Orange in reality. CA is only required to be 51% black…. Meaning there are a dozen different black or spotted cows including dairy cows which are FULL or RBHG and you eat it thinking it’s certified angus. Should be against the law to do this… But it’s not! Were farmers, I’m a mom of 3 and I battle the safe vs unsafe food war too.

Another tip… Beware of Organic labels… Apples are dusted over 20 times in a growing season with copper dust. Copper is organic so it’s approved. Copper is cancer causing and because the apple lives and grows with 20 dustings at least… What do you think is in that apple!!!! It’s really shameful. We chose to NOT be certified organic farmers because I could not in good conscience use the products they approved. Keep reading, keep doing what is best for your family.

Just called Kroger. Many of their products don’t have artificial hormones–but their cheese was not on the list, except for cottage cheese. And none of them are labeled–that’s suspicious. Why wouldn’t they want to label it??

Actually, no milk, cheese, ice cream etc. made with dairy cow milk is the best bet. All the organic milk I’ve seen in the stores is ultra-pasturized. It is boiled until all the enzymes are killed and no longer needs to be refrigerated. Look at the long, long sell by dates. This is no longer a food.

All cows milk is homogenized and pasturized, meaning the proteins are broken down into small pieces capable of entering the blood stream undigested. These are seen by our immune system as invaders, thus the high numbers of people allergic to milk and milk products. This is terribly hard on our immune systems and the more you eat, the worst the strain on our immune system.

Think you need the calcium? Well, milk actually delivers the opposite. Milk is acidic and when it enters our digestive tract, to cut the acid the body robs calcium, from bones in order to buffer the effects of the milk. This is why countries who had never had problems with osteoporosis starting see this health problem after adopting a Western diet.

Milk is full of pregnancy hormones because most milk cows are pregnant for the greatest part of the year, these are some potent and undesirable hormones. Cancer is hormone dependent – meaning cancer needs excessive hormones to multiply and metastasize… and milk products have been linked to many types of cancers, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and possibly others.

Humans are not meant to consume milk beyond weening, look at all the other animals, none consume milk after they are capable of eating their normal diet. Man’s normal diet is fruits and vegetables, with a small amount of certain types of meats. We were never intended to eat milk products or meat from scavengers or dirty animals because these things are a strain on our immune system.We need to nurture our immune systems and protect them so they can protect us.

Wow I haven’t seen your comment before but it’s funny as I have just commented something very similar. I just can’t see my comment yet so maybe the author of the blog has to approve it first. But in any case, my findings and research confirm exactly what you say. I’m vegan myself and thus don’t consume any dairy and have helped my mum fight her joint issues, allergies and skin issues after teaching her how to reduce/ditch dairy, too. The nature is just punishing us for “stealing” breast milk from another female.. We are absolutely not designed to drink/eat dairy and that is why it has so many harming effects.. Humans never suffered from that much acne in adults, eczema, cancer, etc. as in the last decades when we stuff ourselves with meat and dairy.. #sadtruth #ourfutureisvegan

Don’t forget about all be pizza that the US eats; worlds largest mozzarella cheese manufacturer, Leprino Cheese uses rBST milk for all of their products. LF supplies all the major pizza makers and no one is crying about it.